LIVING THE DREAM

Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

Matthew 5:1-6

A man once stood as a brother and a preacher.

He stood high on the mountain like every great teacher.

He would not be moved from that peaceful place.

For his dream was love for every race.

His words brought hope to those without life.

And inspired a world cursed by its strife.

The sound of his voice rings down through the years,

Releasing the poor from generations of tears.

He marched through the streets calling people to rise,

And stormed the great cities chasing after the prize.

He dreamed of a world filled with love and light.

One far from the fear that was cursed by the night.

A man once stood as a brother and a preacher,

And was taken from us like every great teacher.

But his dream lives with us to remind us each day.

That we must keep marching ‘til we all find a way.

According to the US Justice Department, the number of incarcerated Americans exceeds 2 million people. Currently, Black men, who are roughly 6.5% of the nation’s total population, represented 37% of those behind bars. Further, 11% of all Black males between 25 and 34 are in prison.

If he were here today, how would Martin Luther King, Jr. address these horrible truths? I believe he would call all of us, ALL of us, no matter what our heritage or race, to go into the prisons. He would challenge us to start bringing hope to the hopeless, love to the love less and thoughts to the thoughtless.

He was a man of vision and inspiration. And those are the very things we all need. For weather or not we are behind bars, we are all trapped in the prison of ignorance and darkness. We are all living in a world held captive by hate and violence.

We are living in a world that does not know our Lord Jesus.

And if he were with us today, Dr. King would call ALL of us to go to the top of that mountain, get as much light, liberty and love as we can gather – and then bring it to the darkest nations, alleyways and prisons of the world.

And though he is not with us, his dream remains. So come. Let us begin. Let us ALL go as brothers and sisters to the mountain . . .

This Week’s Prayer

Dear Lord, remind me again that love is the thing and that love is the message and hope that You bring. Send me now to spread Your great love, throughout all the world like the wings of a dove. Your Word is the only hope for mankind. It brings the true peace we all pray we find. So, today I begin to march up that hill. I pray you guide me and give me Your will. Amen.

TO DIE FOR

Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

                                                                                    1 John 3:16

Decades ago the Soviet Union imposed atheism and forced Christians to renounce their faith or face terrible consequences. During this dark period in the history of Russian, many kept the faith by meeting secretly to pray, worship and teach the Gospel. 

One Sunday, in the early 1970's, a few believers quietly made their way to an "underground" church outside Moscow. They arrived in small groups throughout the day so as not to arouse the suspicion of the NKVD - the Soviet Secret Police.

When everyone gathered together they began singing a quiet hymn. Suddenly, they heard heavy steps approaching the front door. Without warning two uniformed officers, loaded weapons at the ready, burst into the house. One of them shouted, “If you wish to renounce your commitment to Jesus Christ, leave now!”

Three of the quiet Christians quickly left, then another. As the two secret police glared at the others, two more of the frightened believers fled. “This is your last chance,” the second officer commanded. “Either turn against your faith in Christ,” he ordered, “or stay and suffer the consequences.” Abruptly, two more slipped out into the night.

After that, the intimidation no longer worked. No one else moved a muscle. Parents tried to reassure their frightened children beside them, fully expecting to be gunned down or imprisoned in the Gulag. Then, one of the soldiers closed the door and locked it securely.

He turned to the few  remaining worshipers and spoke, “We raided another house church just like this several weeks ago to arrest a group of believers.” 

The other officer interrupted, “But, instead, we became Christians there. We apologize for chasing your friends away, but we have learned by experience that unless people are willing to die for their faith, they cannot be fully trusted.”

The two officers then joined the core group in worship.

How would you react to the decision to run or die for your faith? It is the ultimate measure of what your individual faith in Jesus means to you.

If only we could deepen our relationship with the Lord so that our minds are focused on heavenly things rather than being consumed with the worldly ones. Then, it would be easy to make the truest decision should that day ever come. After all, Jesus had the choice to live or die for us ... and He chose death, death so that we could live.

Would you make the same choice for Him?

This Week’s Prayer

Courage, Dear Lord. I only ask for the courage to do Your will, to choose You over all else, to make the most of the blessings You have given me, and to make every decision for Your sake alone. Amen.

PREPARE FOR ABUNDANCE

You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it. You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops. You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance.

Psalm 65:9-11

 The weather today is pure February. Snow, rain, wind – all trying to bring our spirits down during these long, grey days of winter.

This does not seem like the kind of day, nor time of year,

when you can stand up and cheer.

These are the mornings when light will not enter your room, 

when the dark clouds spell doom.

Today you must find some new way to cope. 

There must be a new path to bright, shining hope.

Now is the time cast off your fears and stand up. 

Here is the moment to face God and hold out your cup!

Here is the answer to days like this. When you have moment to yourself, stand up and hold your hands in a “beggar’s bowl.” This means your hands are cupped and crossed slightly to make a bowl. Now, close your eyes and imagine a place where you would meet God. Have faith in the fact that Jesus is truly coming to see you right now. Then, while holding out your “bowl,” begin speaking to the Lord.

What happens? Before you utter one word, God starts filling your hands with blessings. At first, you will find grace, hope, love, the forgiveness of your friends and family right there in your hands. But then your hands will grow heavy as other gifts come your way:  relief from debt, health, a new job, etc.  At this point you’ll be struggling to hold on to the gifts God is pouring into your hands and your life.

Then the volume and frequency of God’s abundance will start pouring in. Soon there is an end to your loneliness, a renewed relationship with your spouse, a vacation, an uncontrollable laugh…and finally, a sunny day. The gifts are pouring out of your hands and onto the floor!

You see, to receive an Abundant Overflow from God, you have to be ready. You must believe in His abundance so deeply that you hold your hands out to Him and prepare to meet Jesus as He pours abundance into your life.

This is not an exercise or a drill of some kind. This is the real thing. Stand up and hold out your hands to God every day – and prepare for abundance!

This Week’s Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, I am ready. Today, I hold my hands out to You in preparation for healing, forgiveness and Your overflowing abundance. You know what I need most. You know the deepest places of my heart Fill me with the things I need most to do your will today and every day of my life. Amen. 

WE’RE SURROUNDED!

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

                                                                        Philippians 4:8-9

“You are what you eat!” How many times have your heard that old cliché? Well, just because it gets said so often, doesn’t mean it isn’t true. But, here’s something you haven’t heard and it’s even more important, “You are what you think!”

That’s right. Everything you allow into your mind, positively or negatively, will eventually affect your actions, your decisions and your whole life. Your thoughts direct every aspect of living; your family, your job, your faith, and yes, what you eat! So, just like you have a choice every time you go to a restaurant or into your refrigerator, you must choose wisely when feeding your mind.

And if you take anything from this little lesson, remember this: people are to your mind what food is to your stomach.

People have a strong affect on our lives. I firmly believe that we become like the people with whom we spend the most time. The people you associate with from day to day have a major influence on how you think and make decisions. You can’t avoid the process, it’s just part of how God designed us. Haven’t you ever been around a wonderful, faith-filled, person who electrifies you? They’re wonderful. They make you believe anything is possible and they give you hope!

On the other hand, we have the complainers. And they don’t want to go down and live in the pits alone. Oh no. They want company. And if you spend your time with them, they’ll get their way. Psychologists have proven that continued association with complainers can be enough to sabotage all your opportunities for success.

Let’s leave the complainers behind. Viktor Frankl reminds us that, “Just as a small fire is extinguished by the storm, whereas a large fire is enhanced by it, likewise a weak faith is weakened by predicament and catastrophes whereas a strong faith is strengthened by them.”

So, if you want to become the type of person who electrifies others, someone who brings strength and empowerment to those who need it, someone who motivates and brings more life to others, then surround yourself with people who are already doing it!

How? The solution is simple. Surround yourself with the One who is more positive, more full of joy, more capable of love and hope than anyone. Surround yourself with Jesus and you will become like Jesus! Your mind will work like His. Your heart will beat like His! Your soul will forgive like His!

This Week’s Prayer

Dear Lord, allow me to let go of myself and to be more like Christ. Grant me the vision to imitate Him in all that I do. Clear my mind of negative thoughts. I know they are doing me no good, nor anyone I know. Renew my mind to the hope and wonder of your Kingdom and your Creation. Allow me to spread the truly Good News of Jesus all day, every day with an attitude that affirms Him and those He loves. Amen.